Process of Receiving Arms from South Africa

[WVHighlander]

I thought I would start this thread as an education piece in the event anyone else wanted to go thru the process of having arms registered from South Africa.

So as I stated in my previous thread, I had a goal of receiving arms. First, I will start off with saying that I have no familial ties with South Africa; however, after long deliberation with the Lord Lyon, Ireland, and South Africa I went with South Africa. My reason was due to having a desire that the arms be granted to me, not a line of ancestors that I would pay for an anyone could later tap into, genealogical effort, and to some extent money. While I do hope to one day have these arms registered in Scotland for purely stubborn, personal reasons-I have to say of all the heraldic bureaus I liked the philosophy of South Africa the best. As an American I could assume the arms and just register them with NEHGS or American College of Heraldry; however, I felt that South Africa having a government sanctioned office lent more credibility to the arms internationally and within my own Clan Association. (That is purely MY opinion and does not reflect anything else.) Ok that is out of the way....

The process is very straight forward and the people at the S.A. Bureau of Heraldry are quite simply Amazing. They will do everything from registering your heraldic correct design to design a Coat of Arms for you based on your own curriculum vitae. Additionally, if you are close to being "there" on a coat of arms you can submit to them a rendition or blazon of those arms and they can tell you if they meet the requirements/traditions etc. They will also work with you prior to payment and submission to come up with finalized touches. (In my case it was the creation of a double tressure thistle-counter thistle.) Payment is straight forward using electronic funds transfer from your bank to theirs and all your signed documents can be emailed to their office.

After all this is received your blazon/proposal is given to an artist and they will provide you with a rough sketch in approx 2 or so weeks. Once, this is agreed upon it goes back for the final painting and calligraphy. Currently I am waiting for the rough sketch....more to follow.

[hkjrb623]

Didn't your family already have a coat of arms?

[SlackerDrummer]

A quick point of clarification: To the best of my knowledge the South African Bureau of Heraldry does not grant arms; they register them. That said, it is an official government registration, as opposed to a registration with a private entity, but it is nonetheless a registration.

[Cygnus]

hkjrb623,

I hope WVHighlander doesn't mind me responding to your question. If so, I'm sure he'll correct me or add his thoughts as well.

Coats of arms, in their original use, were carried or worn to identify an individual on the battlefield when a helmet would obscure his features. Because families were regularly involved in the same conflicts (sometimes on both sides), it wouldn't make too much sense for each family to only have one coat of arms. Their heraldry was similar enough that people could tell that they were kin, but different enough that they could be distinguished from one another in the fighting.

Despite what the folks in the heraldry shop at Disney Land (and other shops, for that matter) might say, the heraldry of the UK and Commonwealth countries is still individual, not family, in the same way it always had been. The only exception to this rule is the clansman's crest badge, which is the clan chief's crest surrounded by a strap and buckle with the motto inscribed on it. This, so far as I know, is the only traditional way, and the only legal way in Scotland, to bear a part of another person's heraldry.

If one wishes to use a coat of arms in Scotland, it must first be registered with the Lord Lyon King of Arms, who is the heraldic authority in Scotland. As I am sure you've gathered, South Africa also has a bureau of heraldry with which WVHighlander has begun the registration process, though those arms would not be legal for use in Scotland unless WVHighlander also had them registered with Lyon.

Basically, unless your father had a coat of arms granted to him, and you were his first son (or the heir to those arms), you would need to petition your own coat of arms, differenced accordingly, if you wanted to use one.

I hope that made some sense, despite being somewhat off the original topic!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

If one wishes to use a coat of arms in Scotland, it must first be registered with the Lord Lyon King of Arms, who is the heraldic authority in Scotland. As I am sure you've gathered, South Africa also has a bureau of heraldry with which WVHighlander has begun the registration process, though those arms would not be legal for use in Scotland unless WVHighlander also had them registered with Lyon.

Almost, but not quite right. If a non-Scottish armiger takes up residence in Scotland, then he is required to register his arms with the Lord Lyon, should he choose to publicly display those arms. However, if visiting Scotland then no such requirement exists.

[WVHighlander]

A quick point of clarification: To the best of my knowledge the South African Bureau of Heraldry does not grant arms; they register them. That said, it is an official government registration, as opposed to a registration with a private entity, but it is nonetheless a registration.

SD, quite right. I thought that is what I said on the first line?? I hope I didn't misspeak in my post.

hkjrb623, I know you my read Cyngus response and feel a bit dubious; however, its very true. I also thought that families had arms....went so far at to purchase my first surname coat of arms items years ago in Georgia for $30..which was a lot back then for a bit of paper. However, those arms belong to one person. Arms are property of an individual that can be passed down to his heirs, and even then only the oldest son (in English, Irish, and Scottish tradition) receive the exact arms after the armiger dies. All the rest of the kids can get the arms matriculated with some difference to show they weren't the oldest.

Cygus, thank you for answering that question regarding family arms. Rath is quite right though on the use of arms whilst visiting. (I have the email from the Lyon's office for proof) So in 2014 I am quite safe to got the Gathering at Stirling and use my arms whether it be in a cap badge or flag or stationary etc. However, according to the Lyon's office: if a person is staying in Scotland for more than 180 days, going to Scotland on a regular basis (several times a year), or purchases property in Scotland and will be using their arms then is must be registered with the Lyon.

Scott, always the sage one! Thanks.

[Cygnus]

Almost, but not quite right. If a non-Scottish armiger takes up residence in Scotland, then he is required to register his arms with the Lord Lyon, should he choose to publicly display those arms. However, if visiting Scotland then no such requirement exists.

Thank you for the correction - that is something that I learned on this forum (from you, if I remember correctly, in an example of a Spaniard with arms visiting Scotland). I had wanted to keep from muddying the water with too much information, but my word choice was very poor for what I intended. I should have said "...while living in Scotland" instead and specified that WVHighlander's arms wouldn't be legal for permanent or frequent use in Scotland.

[hkjrb623]

hkjrb623, I know you my read Cyngus response and feel a bit dubious; however, its very true. I also thought that families had arms....went so far at to purchase my first surname coat of arms items years ago in Georgia for $30..which was a lot back then for a bit of paper. However, those arms belong to one person. Arms are property of an individual that can be passed down to his heirs, and even then only the oldest son (in English, Irish, and Scottish tradition) receive the exact arms after the armiger dies. All the rest of the kids can get the arms matriculated with some difference to show they weren't the oldest.
.

My family has only had one coat of arms, and it has only been given to the oldest sons. That is why I'm in possession of it now. I wasn't really aware of it being a more common tradition, I just accepted it as a close family tradition. I learn something everyday.

No offense meant, I just don't understand why this is so important. Passing on the knowledge of your family's heritage seems more important than a piece of paper in my opinion. I didn't pay close enough attention to completely learn mine as most kids do. Now I have to go through the paces to try to chase down the lineage. I should have just listened before some of them passed. Besides if this was used as an identifier in combat, isn't it sort of false advertisement if you're not using it for that?

[WVHighlander]

It is important to me because there is no lineage to pass down, and I am using it as an illustration...a marking point to begin a lineage. Next, my identifiers for combat (unit patch, regimental markings, etc.) do not belong to me they belong to the U.S. Army. This Coat of Arms is mine and it embodies symbolism important to me, my family and it will stand as a marker for the expectations I have of my children and I hope they will have for theirs.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

My family has only had one coat of arms, and it has only been given to the oldest sons. That is why I'm in possession of it now. I wasn't really aware of it being a more common tradition, I just accepted it as a close family tradition. I learn something everyday.

No offense meant, I just don't understand why this is so important. Passing on the knowledge of your family's heritage seems more important than a piece of paper in my opinion. I didn't pay close enough attention to completely learn mine as most kids do. Now I have to go through the paces to try to chase down the lineage. I should have just listened before some of them passed. Besides if this was used as an identifier in combat, isn't it sort of false advertisement if you're not using it for that?

Heraldry grew out of a need to mark property, and to verify agreement to legal documents during an era that was by-and-large totally illiterate. Heraldry was commonly used to prove ownership of everything from pots and pans to buildings, while a wax seal, emblazoned with the heraldic cognizances of its owner, provided irrefutable authentication to a signature or mark placed on a document, especially wills, those legal documents so necessary for the orderly transfer of property from one generation to the next.

So, while heraldry was used as a personal identifier in combat (most often as a flag or banner), it's general use was far wider than the battlefield -- hence its survival in the present day as a means of identifying members of distinct families, their relationship to one another, and as one means of identifying the property they own. In short, far from being a "false advertisement" of military prowess, heraldry is a Technicolor book mark in the history and heritage of one's family.